Henby johnson



(RollodeL) H. JOHNSON.

Mechanical Accountant Instrument.

Patented Nov. 30, I880.

.s as

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIQEO HENRY JOHNSON, OF YVASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

MECHANICAL ACCOUNTANT-ENSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 234,875, dated November 30, 1880.

Application filed March 1, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington city, in the county of Washington and District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanical Accountant-Instruments and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification, and in which Figure l is a plan view of my improved instrument with one of the covers thrown open; Fig. 2, a vertical central section; Fig. 3, detached views of the interchangeable rings; Fig. 4, detail view of one of the hands or indicators.

My invention relates to a novel mechanical accountant-instrument especially designed for keeping accounts of various kinds, havingfor its object the dispensing, to a certain degree, with the use of account-books, paper, and writing, by the utilization of dial-plates and movable hands or indicators, in connection with figures, letters, and words, for keeping an exact account, all as will be hereinafter fully described.

In the drawings, A represents, in the present instance, a case similar to a watch-case, provided with the usual hinged covers a a, and an interior double-crowned dial or diskplate B, dividing the case into two compartments, and provided on each side with arigid central post, I), having mounted and secured thereon by a screw, d, one or more hands or indicators, c, all as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

The opposite sides of the plate B or the interior walls of the case are provided with a circumferential row of figures, ranging from 1 to 99, and the three hands or indicators shown in the present instance are provided with numerals and letters indicating dollars, cents, and hundreds thereof.

The covers are respectively provided with the words in and out, for indicating the side of the instrument used for accounting the paying in or out of money, the debit and credit,

different letters, figures, or words corresponding to the use the instrument maybe required for, as shown in Fig. 3.

The hands or indicators must be made to firmly clasp the center post to insure of their remaining just at the point they may be placed or set. The shank of the hand near the eye is therefore made strong enough to permit of its being cut through, as shown at e, and the shank slotted, as shown at 6, (see Fig. 4,) forming a spring-clasp adapted to encircle and firmly grasp the post, and prevent the hand from moving unless considerable force is applied thereto, said construction compensating for the usual wear and tear the post and hands or indicators are subjected to. The hands or indicators are formed from or in a single piece of metal, and I prefer to have the eye portion thereof steel-tempered, in order to provide for the requisite elasticity to firmly hold the hands or indicators in any position they may be placed in. The instrument is also provided with a chain, fastener, and key or hand-mover, said hand-mover eonsistin g of a metal plate or wire having a hook at one end for catching over the hand when it is desired to move it, and an eye at the other end for securing it on the chain.

The words in and out, or other equivalent characters for designating the purpose of each side of the dial-plate, may be applied on the faces of the plate or plates, or on the heads of the screws securing the hands orindicators on the posts.

Myinvention is applicable not only for keeping and reckoning various forms of accounts with reliability, but may be used for various purposes, such as applying the letters of the alphabet or figures thereto for teaching children their letters and figures.

The instrument may also be made of cabinet size, with a series of dials and hands for keeping the accounts of different persons in business transactions with accuracy and'greliability. This also being an instrument adapted to. be carried in the pocket or made small enough to be attached to a watch-chain, forms a ready means at all times for keeping accounts of various business transactions that may transpire Where paper, books, and Writing materials are not convenient; and it is susceptible of use for keeping account of paying in and out of money, debit and credit, in dollars and cents, and other matters and things, by merely moving the hands or indicators representing dollars, and cents, and h und reds thereof aroun d on the dial-plates opposite the figures thereon, indicating the amount received and paid out on the opposite sides of the dial-plate.

Further description of the numerous advantages accruingfrom the use ofmy improved instrument are deemed unnecessary, they being obvious from the foregoing.

I am aware that dial-plates and hands or indicators automatically operated for keeping time and registering purposes, also for indicating the arrival and departure of trains at railroad-stations, are old, and such I do not desire or wish to be understood as claiming, broadly, as of my invention; but,

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination of a double-crowned dial or disk-plate provided with central posts, and one or more movable hands or indicators mounted on said posts, substantially as and for the purpose herein shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

D. O. ALLEN, H. J. Burns. 

